Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Tennessee State
Seniors Slug Racers To Doubleheader Sweep
4/30/2011 8:37:39 PM | Softball
On a day where the Murray State softball team paid tribute to its five seniors, the seniors led the charge on offense as the Racers picked up a pair of 16-0 and 19-0 shutout victories over Tennessee State in Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday afternoon at Racer Field.
Seniors Jenna Bradley, Kristen Broadway, Lauren Buch, Stephanie Mattocks and Taylor Wilson were thanked in a pre-game ceremony for their hard work over the last two seasons.
All four seniors in the MSU (20-24, 11-14 OVC) batting lineup Saturday hit home runs as the Racers went yard seven different times on the day.
Wilson started off the scoring in the first, blasting a solo home run to center field in the Racers first at bat of the game. The Racers scored two more in the inning on a single to right center that hit the top of the fence from Leslie Bridges to take a 3-0 lead. Meghan Sims singled to the fence in center later in the frame to score one and go ahead 4-0.
Bradley hit her first run of the game in the second, nailing a two out homer to center field with the bases empty to increase the lead to 5-0.
The Racers added four more runs in the fourth. Stephanie Edwards drove in one on a grounder that got past the third basement that was fielded by the shortstop that left everyone safe. Wilson scored another run on a bloop single into right field that fell in behind the second baseman and in front of the right fielder. Megan Glosser added two more in the inning with a double into the gap in left center to take a commanding 9-0 lead.
Seven more Racers came in to score in the fourth inning, highlighted by base hits from Christian Cox, Bradley and Lauren Buch that each scored two runs as the Racers took game one by a score of 16-0.
Shelby Kosmecki allowed four base runners in five innings in the circle for MSU, giving up three hits and a walk with no runs to pick up her third complete game shutout of the season as she increased to 9-5 on the year.
The MSU bats stayed active in game two as Bradley put the Racers on the scoreboard with her second home run of the day, a two run blast to center field. One more run scored in the inning as Buch came in from third on a wild pitch to score and lead 3-0.
Seven runs scored in an inning for the second time on the day in the second inning. Sims homered to center field in the inning's first at bat. After the Racers loaded the bases Buch hit a grand slam opposite field home run to right that put MSU up 8-0. Mattocks kept up the home run barrage, driving in a pair on a two run shot to right with two outs to lead 10-0 after two innings.
Four runs crossed home plate for MSU in the third. A booted ball by the TSU third baseman on a grounder from Buch allowed two runs to score with two outs. Ellyn Troup followed with the final home run of the game to push the lead to 14-0.
The scoring continued in the fourth for Murray State. A bases-loaded infield single to the shortstop from Buch scored one. Later in the inning, Mattocks singled up the middle to allow the lead two runners to score. Madysen Wilton came up as a pinch hitter and tripled down the right field line as the ball rolled towards the fence that cleared the bases and scored the final two runs of the game.
Chelsey Sullivan gave up just two hits as she picked up her seventh win of the season in the circle for MSU, striking out three. Broadway pitched a perfect fifth with a strike out.
Every started for the Racers had at least one hit, run and RBI on the day. Mattocks and Buch led the team with five hits. Sims, Bradley, Wilson and Glosser each had three and Christian Cox had a pair in three at-bats.
Buch led all Racer batters with seven RBI. Mattocks and Bradley followed with five runs driven in each as seven more players each drove in a pair. Wilson scored seven different times in the two games in eight plate appearances.
Bradley, the OVC runs leader entering today's action, and Buch, crossed home six times each with Mattocks scoring four times. Glosser scored three runs on the day with Bridges and Troup scoring two times each.
The 35 runs scored by Murray State are the most in program history in any two or three game series, shattering the 31 runs they scored earlier this season against Austin Peay in a three game set.
The five home runs hit in game two were the most hit in one game. The Racers hit four in a game twice last season and once last weekend against Eastern Kentucky.
A number of Racers set individual game personal bests on the day and are listed below:
Stephanie Mattocks: Tied bests of 2 runs scored, 3 hits, set best of 4 RBI
The Racers look to take the series sweep Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
